GIFT  OF 


FEE" 


9 


Utah  Agricultural  College 

EXPERIMENT  STATION 

*  CIRCULAR  No.  8  7 

EXTENSION  DIVISION 


Useful  Kitchen  Utensils. 


Labor  Saving  Devices  For 
The  Farm  Home 

LEAH  D.  WIDTSOE 


JUNE,  1912. 


Lshi  Publishes 

Lehi.   Utah 


D 

/ 


Utah  Agricultural  Experiment  Station 


BOARD  OF  TRUSTEES. 

LORENZO     N.    STOHL Brigham 

THOMAS      SMART Logan 

JOHN    Q.    ADAMS Logan 

ELIZABETH   C.   McCUNE Salt   Lake   City 

J.  W.  N.  WHITECOTTON Provo 

MATHONIHAH   THOMAS.... Salt   Lake  City 

JOHN    DERN .....Salt   Lake   City 

JOHN   C.   SHARP Salt   Lake   City 

ANGUS    T.    WRIGHT Ogden 

J.    M     PETERSON ^Richfield 

C.  S.  TINGEY,  Secretary  of  State,  Ex-officio Salt  Lake  City 

JOHN   A.   WIDTSOE .Logan 

HAZEL  LOVE  DUN  FORD Salt   Lake  City 

OFFICERS  OF  THE   BOARD. 

LORENZO     N.     STOHL President 

ELIZABETH    C.    McCUNE Vice    President 

JOHN  T.  CAINE,  JR Recording  Secretary  and  Auditor 

JOHN    L.   COBURN Financial   Secretary 

ALLAN     M.    FLEMING Tr-easurer 

EXPERIMENT  STATION  STAFF. 
J.  A.  WIDTSOE,  Ph.  D.,  President  of  the  College. 

E  D.  BALL,  Ph.  D Director  and   Entomologist 

L.  A.  MERRILL,  B.  S Agronomist  (in  charge  of  Arid  Farms) 

H.  J.  FREDERICK,   D.  V.   M Veterinarian 

JOHN   T.  CAINE,   III,   M.   S.  A Animal    Husbandman 

ROBERT  STEWART,   Ph.   D Chemist 

E.  G.  TITUS,   Ph.   D Entomologist 

L.   D.  BATCHELOR,   Ph.   D Hoi*ticulturist 

G.   M.  TURPIN,   B.  S..... Poultryman 

F.  S.    HARRIS,   Ph.   D Agronomist 

F.   L.   WEST,   Ph.   D. Meteorologist 

C.  N.  JENSEN,  M.  S.,  Ph.  D Plant  Pathologist 

J.   E.  GREAVES,   Ph.   D Associate  Chemist 

W.  E.  CARROLL,  M.  S Associate  Animal   Husbandman 

C.  T.  HIRST,  B.  S Assistant  Chemist 

A.  B.  BALLANTYNE,  B.  S Assistant  Horticulturist 

A.  E.  BOWMAN,  B.  S. Assistant  Agronomist 

L.  M.  WINSOR,  B.  S Assistant  Irrigation  Engineer 

M.  A.  NELSON,  B.  S Assistant  Entomologist 

W.  L.  QUAYLE,  B.  S Assistant  Chemist 

WILLARD    GARDNER Clerk   and    Librarian 

H.  J.  WEBB,   B.  S, Assistant   Entomologist 

HOWARD    SCHWEITZER Assistant    Entomologist 

A.  D.  ELLISON,  B.  S Foreman   Nephi   Experiment  Farm 

C.   L.   MERRILL,   B.  S Assistant  Agronomist 

IN  CHARGE  OF  CO-OPERATIVE   INVESTIGATIONS. 
With  U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture. 

W.  W.  MCLAUGHLIN,  B.  S Irrigation   Engineer 

P.  V.  CARDON,   B.  S Assistant  Agronomist 

R.  A.   HART,   B.  A Drainage   Engineer 


305326 


SYNOPSIS 

I.     Introduction. 

II.     Desirability   of    Farm    Life. 

1.  Greatest  possible  moral,  and  physical  strength. 

2.  Freedom  and  independence. 

III.  Disadvantages  of  Farm  Life. 

1.  Isolation. 

a.  Lack  of  music,  lectures,  theatres,  art  galleries. 

b.  Lack  of  social  intercourse. 

2.  Too  much  work. 

a.  Lack  of  training  for  individual  to  become  master 

of  work. 

b.  Lack  of  appreciation  of  natural  advantages. 

IV.  Woman  vs.  Man  on  the  Farm. 

1.  Interdependence  of  each. 

a.  "Back  to  Farm''  useless  without  women. 

b.  Co-operation  necessary — Home   shared    by    both; 

must  be  built  for  both. 

2.  Work  necessary  for  each. 

a.  The  greatest  blessing  instead  of  curse. 

b.  Must  be  trained  to  be  master;   to  see  all  advan- 

tages. 

3.  Man's  Work  on  the  Farm. 

a.  Overworked  at  certain  seasons,  only. 

b.  Can  more  easily  procure. hired  help. 

c.  Has  nights  for  rest  and  recuperation. 

d.  Has  Sundays  and  holidays  free  except  for  small 

chores. 

e.  Commands  purse  strings. 

f.  Has  aid  of  more  labor  saving  devices. 

4.  Woman's  Work  on  Farm. 

a.  Woman's   work   the   most   glorious   profession   on 

earth. 

b.  No  more  intense  but  covers  longer  hours. 

c.  Few  periods  of  unbroken  rest. 

d.  Has  few  real  holidays  in  entire  life. 

e.  Difficulty  in  procuring  hired  help. 

f.  Adds  the  strain  of  Motherhood. 

g.  Too  conservative. 

h.     Lack    of    funds,    hence    lack    of    labor-saving    de- 
vices. 

V.  The  Day  of  Labor  Saving  Devices. 

1.  Man  will  have  them  if  farm  must  be  mortgaged, 
a.     As  bread  winner  feels  justified. 

2.  Woman  must  wait  for  hers  till  fortune  is  made. 

a.     Not   becaus^e    man   is    heartless   or   stingy;    feels 
he  must 'make  financial  headway  first. 

3.  Money  not  aim  of  existence. 

a.  Cheerful,  happy  home  is  worth  more  than  money. 

b.  Closer  co-operation  necessary. 

c.  Make  headway  more  slowly  and  enjoy  every  day. 

d.  Vacuum  cleaners  cheaper  than  funeral  bills. 

e.  Interest   paid    in    dollars    and    cents    vs.    interest 

paid   in  joy  and  rested   companionship — which 
or  both? 


VI.  Possible  Farm  and   Home  Labor  Saving  Devices. 

1.  Farm. 

a.  Labor  saving  device  defined. 

b.  Machines  for  every  conceivable  farm  process. 

c.  Increasing  and  improving  in  efficiency. 

d.  Expense  for  buying  and  maintaining  is  great. 

e.  List  given  by  leading  implement  dealer. 

f.  Through  lack  of  care  must  be  replaced  every  5-10 

years.  j 

2.  Home. 

a.  Most  home  labor  saving  devices   should  be  con- 

sidered necessities  and  included  in  house  con- 
struction. 

b.  Fewer  in  number. 

c.  Less  efficient  in  general. 

d.  Much  less  expensive. 

e.  When  bought,  supposed  to  last  life  time. 

VII.  A  Model  Farm  Home. 

1.  Possible  if  man  is  interested  and  financially  able. 

2.  Possible  to  rival  all  city  conveniences  of  gas,  electric- 

ity, heating,  laundering,  etc. 

3.  A  model  home  in  Utah  described. 

a.     Cost  not  prohibitive  and  comfort  more  than  com- 
mensurate. 

VIM.     Comparative  Cost  of  Farm  and   Home  Machinery 

1.  Farm  No.  1 — 50-acre  hay  and  grain. 

a.     Money  in  farm  machinery  $1,148.00. 

2.  Farm  Home  No.  1. 

a.     Money  in  home  labor  saving  devices  $63.00. 

3.  Farm  No.  2 — 1800-acre  hay  and  grain, 
a.     Money  invested,  $4,085.00 

4.  Farm  home  No.  2. 

~  a.     Money  invested,  $107.00. 

5.  Farm  machinery  replaced  every  ten  years;  home  ma- 

chinery lasts  a  life  time. 

IX.  Detail  List  of  Home  Labor  Saving  Devices. 

1.  Good  head  best  labor  saving  device  any  woman  can 

have. 

a.     Coupled  with  keen  interest  will  surmount  e^ery 
difficulty. 

2.  Each  article. 

a.  Necessity  and  advantages. 

b.  Cost. 

c.  Where  procured. 

X.  Extravagance   Not   Necessary. 

1.  Is  not  recommended. 

2.  Women  earn  and  should  spend  certain  proportion  of 

yearly  income. 

a.  Plan  well. 

b.  Use   and   comfort   more   desirable   than   looks    or  - 

"show." 

XI.  Each  Woman  Should  Plan   Her  Own   Home. 

1.     Begin  as  girl  to  plan  ideal  home, 
a.     Change  as  ideals  grow. 


b.  Change  as  circumstances  indicate. 

c.  Plan  for  efficiency  first. 

d.  Use  and  beauty  combined. 

XII.  Co-operative  Ownership 

1.     For  home  machines  as  well  as  farm  machines. 

a.  Vacuum  cleaner; 

b.  Home  laundry. 

c.  Brick  oven. 

XIII.  The  Smoot  Bill. 

1.  Desirability  and  feasibility. 

a.  Why   not   means   for   experimenting   on   improve- 

ment of  human  race  as  well  as  chickens  and 
hogs? 

b.  Why  not  improve  home    conditions    as    well    as 

more  perfect  and  sanitary  barns. 

2.  A  possible  perfected  dishwasher. 


INTRODUCTION. 

This  paper  was  written  for  and  read  before  the  first  In- 
ternational Congress  of  Farm  Women  held  at  Colorado 
Springs,  October  17th  to  21st,  1911.  A  few  changes  have  been 
made  in  the  manuscript  and  some  illustrations  added. 

The  name  indicates  that  it  is  written  for  the  progressive 
farmers  of  some  means — since  all  labor  saving  devices  cost 
more  or  less  money.  Th#  farm  home  which  finds  it  difficult 
to  keep  flour  in  the  barrel,  naturally  will  not  be  interested  in 
$125.00  water  systems — except  as  an  ideal  they  may  attain  to 
some  day,  and  ideals  are  always  helpful.  To  find  ways  and 
means  of  helping  this  class  of  farm  home  has  our  deepest  in- 
terest, but  is  entirely  another  story.  The  wise  woman  in  any 
condition  can,  by  using  her  wits  and  the  means  at  her  com- 
mand, do  much  toward  making  her  work  simpler  and  save 
steps  in  the  performance  of  it. 

The  purpose  in  writing  this  paper  has  been  two-fold:  To 
stimulate  thought  on  the  part  of  the  home-workers — the  wo- 
men; and  to  induce  a  spirit  of  interested  co-operation  on  the 
part  of  home  providers — the  men.  An  intelligent,  active  in- 
terest in  the  subject  with  some  good  head  work  thrown  in  is 
the  best  asset  any  woman  can  have  in  her  work.  Coupled 
with  the  wife's  determination  must  be  the  husband's  willing 
help;  for,  since  the  home  is  shared  by  both  and  made  for 
both,  no  woman  can  make  much  advance  if  she  has  to  "go  it 
alone."  So,  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  "comparisons  are  odi- 
ous," they  have  been  frequently  drawn  between  man's  and 
woman's  work  on  the  farm  with  their  respective  facilities  for 
work.  This  has  been  done  not  at  all  to  make  it  appear  that  men 
are  all  at  fault  and  women  down-trodden;  but  to  make  them 
both  feel  that  absolute  co-operation  is  necessary  in  order  to 
realize  the  possibilities  of  the  joyous  freedom  of  farm  life. 
This  condition  must  hold  in  all  home  life  as  well. 

Many  of  the  illustrations  used  have  been  furnished  by 
the  firms  handling  the  appliances  spoken  of.  It  is  not  intend- 
ed to  advertise  any  firm  or  factory  in  these  pages.  There  are 
many  places  where  such  goods  may  be  obtained,  and  interest- 
ed readers  are  advised  to  get  all  possible  information  before 
making  any  purchases.  However,  it  must  be  stated  that  any 


firm  herein  spoken  of  is  known  to  be  reliable.  The  desire  has 
been  to  give  a  little  practical  help,  rather  than  theoretical  in- 
formation so  prices  and  definite  information  has  been  given 
wherever  possible.  Further,  it  has  been  the  desire  to  quote  local 
firms  handling  goods  spoken  of  wherever  possible.  We  believe 
in  keeping  our  money  at  home  and  patronizing  those  firms 
which  are  progressive  enough  to  handle  the  newest  and  best 
the  market  affords.  Still  when  the  local  firms  do -not  handle 
the  goods,  the  address  of  Eastern  firms  is  given. 

The  position  that  is  maintained  throughout  these  pages 
is  stated  in  brief  in  the  words  of  a  great  man,  and  I  trust  he 
will  not  object  to  having  them  introduce  this  little  paper: 

"Above  all,  the  condition  of  farm  life  must  be  shaped 
with  a  view  to  the  welfare  of  the  farmer's  wife,  and  the  farm 
laborer's  wife  quite  as  much  as  the  welfare  of  the  farm  la- 
borer. To  have  the  woman  a  mere  drudge  is  at  least  quite  as 
bad  as  to  have  the  man  a  mere  drudge.  It  is  every  whit  as  im- 
portant to  introduce  new  machinery  to  economize  her  labor 
within  the  house,  as  to  introduce  machinery  to  increase  the 
eifectivness  of  his  labor  outside  of  the  house." — Theodore 
Roosevelt. 


Labor  Saving  Devices  For  The  Farm 
Home 


By  LEAH  D.  WIDTSOE. 
FARM    LIFE   THE    MOST   DESIRABLE     FOR     MEN     AND     WOMEN. 

It  is  with  an  unshaken  belief  in  the  great  advantages  of 
farm  life,  and  also  with  some  little  experience  of  it,  that  this 
paper  is  written. 

Farm  labor,  if  performed  rightly,  gives  health  to  the  body 
freedom  and  joy  to  the  mind.  Boys  and  girls  raised  on  the 
farm,  with  the  proper  home  environment,  are  very  apt  to  be 
the  strongest  morally,  mentally  and  physically  of  any  of  our 
citizens.  Farm  life  gives  the  greatest  independence  to  the  in- 
dividual, for  the  farmer  acknowledges  no  man  master  but  God 
and  the  elements.  These  are  truisms  that  all  accept,  though 
they  fail  to  convince  many  people  of  the  superiority  of  farm 
life. 

DISADVANTAGES   OF   FARM    LIFE. 

True,  there  are  many  disadvantages  to  farm  life.  The  av- 
erage farm  is  more  or  less  isolated;  and  humanity  being  nat- 
urally gregarious  cannot  endure  isolation  long,  whether  on  or 
off  the  farm.  The  apparent  loneliness  of  the  farm  however, 
is  partly  due  to  a  lack  of  training  on  the  part  of  those  who 
live  there  for  the  appreciation  of  the  beauties  of  their  sur- 
roundings and  labors.  They  have  not  had  their  minds  or  eyes 
opened  to  the  wonders  of  Nature;  to  the  beauties  she  has 
placed  before  their  minds ;  or  to  the  mastery  possessed  by  the 
farmer  over  the  forces  of  Nature. 

There  is  also  on  the  farm,  necessarily,  a  lack  of  some  of 
the  cultural  elements,  such  as  an  occasional  good  theatre,  an 
inspiring  lecture,  good  music,  or  an  art  gallery  to  visit  in  a 
spare  hour  or  two.  These  things  are  ordinarily  absent  from 
the  small  town,  as  well  as  from  the  farm,  and  the  individual  in 
each  case  must  be  trained  to  use  the  resources  about  him  to 
supply  this  deficiency. 


40  LABOR   SAVING  DEVICES   FOR   THE   FARM    HOME. 

There  is  something  more  than  this,  however,  that  makes 
farm  life  distasteful  to  many  young  men  and  more  young  wo- 
men. They  object,  in  substance,  to  farm  life,  because  "there 
is  too  much  work  on  the  farm".  It  is  the  cry  wherever  one 
goes,  and  all  the  many  advantages  are  cancelled  by  its  insis- 
tence. It  is  true?  Is  there  too  much  actual  work  and  drudg- 
ery on  the  farm? 

WOMAN  VS.   MAN  ON  THE   FARM. 

As  a  rule  it  must  be  admitted  that  women  on  the  farm 
work  very  hard,  and  possibly  that  more  women  are  over- 
worked than  men.  This  should  not  be  so,  for  farm  life,  if  right- 
ly lived,  gives  the  best  opportunity  to  women  for  free,  health- 
ful and  joyous  living.  It  may  not  be  true  that  in  the  same  space 
of  time  women  work  harder  than  men,  but  "Man  works  from 
sun  to  sun,  while  woman's  work  is  never  done".  Work  of  it- 
self is  one  of  the  prime  necessities  of  healthy  and  happy  life ; 
it  is  the  greatest  blessing,  instead  of  the  greatest  curse,  that 
God  put  upon  his  children.  But  man,  and  woman  also,  must 
have  rest  and  recreation. 

Man's  work  on  the  farm  is  intense  while  it  lasts,  and  it 
may  cover  long  hours ;  but  when  it  is  done,  it  is  done,  and  the 
man  rests  while  the  earth  rests.  A  woman  works  incessantly 
While  the  man  does,  but  she  has  no  period  of  rest ;  for  busy  fin- 
gers must  use  even  the  evening  hours  in  mending,  darning  or 
keeping  the  clothes  in  good  condition.  During  the  night,  also, 
when  the  tired  body  should  reinvigorate  itself  for  the  morn- 
ing's toil  by  sound,  unbroken  slumber,  the  woman  is  more  of- 
ten than  not  disturbed  by  a  restless,  ill,  or  nursing  child.  Her 
daily  tasks  include  cooking,  serving,  washing  dishes,  scrub- 
bing, cleaning,  sewing,  dressmaking,  washing,  ironing,  canning 
fruit,  preserving  fruit,  vegetables  and  meats,  waiting  on  the 
sick ;  and  many  women  add  to  this  list  the  feeding  of  pigs  and 
chickens  and  making  the  kitchen  garden. 

The  man  usually  has 'his  Sunday  free;  his  mind  rests  as 
well  as  his  body.  He  dons  his  Sunday  best  in  the  morning 
and  has  most  of  the  day  to  visit  friends,  talk  about  the  weather 
— to  recuperate  his  strength.  But  he  does  not  recuperate  very 


LABOR   SAVING  DEVICES   FOR   THE   FARM    HOME.  41 

much  unless  there  is  a  fine  hot  Sunday  dinner  waiting  for  him 
at  home!  Meanwhile,  Sunday  is  often  the  hardest  day  for  the 
woman,  and  most  holidays  add  heavier  burdens  instead  of 
lighter  ones. 

Besides  the  performance  of  her  usual  daily  tasks,  most 
women  have  the  keen  joy,  as  well  as  the  great  strain  of  bear- 
ing and  rearing  a  family  of  children.  This  alone  could  occupy 
most  of  a  woman's  energy  if  she  did  it  well;  but  it  must  ,be 
done  in  addition  to  many  pressing  tasks,  and  as  a  result  many 
children  ."just  grow."  Most  men  would  think  it  very  bad  pol- 
icy to  work  their  horses  or  use  their  cows  to  the  last  day  before 
giving  birth  to  young;  but  how  many  men  think  it  necessary, 
that  a  wife  have  a  month's  rest  or  recreation  before  that 
blessed  period  comes  to  her  life? 

In  the  matter  of  securing  hired  help  also,  man's  work  on 
the  farm  is  more  easily  done  than  woman's.  While  at  times 
it  may  be  difficult  for  men  to  get  all  the  help  they  need,  still 
more  men  than  women  are  available.  It  is  almost  an  impossi- 
bility  to  get  help  in  the  farm  home,  even  if  it  can  be  afforded. 
Girls  from  the  more  thickly  settled  districts  do  not  care  to  go 
to  the  farm — it  is  too  lonely.  Girls  that  are  born  and  reared 
on  the  farm,  usually  have  all  they  can  do  to  help  mother,  or 
they  g^fer  to  try  the  city.  Of  necessity,  mother  has  to  do  all 
the  work  until  the  girls  are  big  enough  to  help. 

And  so  I  make  this  statement  advisedly  that  in  most 
eases,  a  woman's  work  is  never  done.  She  has  very  few  real 
holidays  throughout  her  life.  That  makes  one  of  two  things 
necessary;  either  the  average  woman  must  have  ways  and 
means  of  performing  her  work  with  as  little  expenditure  of 
energy  as  possible,  or  else  she  is  going  to  wear  out  completely, 
and  the  man  will  have  to  get  a  new  wife  as  he  gets  a  new  mow- 
ing machine. 

From  every  point  of  view  it  is  clear  that  woman  should 
be  enabled  to  do  her  work  in  the  easiest  possible  way.  It 
makes  for  the  health  and  happiness  of  the  entire  family. 

WOMEN    TOO    CONSERVATIVE. 

It  may  be  granted  that  as  a  rule,  women  do  not  use  in  the 


42  LABOR    SAVING    DEVICES    FOR    THE    FARM    HOME. 

best  way  all  their  advantages — that  they  lack  special  training 
for  their  labor ;  also,  that  they  fail  to  use  the  system  and  intel- 
ligence which  makes  joyous  work.  They  may  also  lack  that 
certain  progressiveness  which  enables  men  constantly  to  use 
their  brains  in  thinking  out  devices  for  saving  energy.  If  men 
would  do  the  housekeeping  for  a  few  years,  we  would  have 
as  fine  dishwashing  machines  and  cookers,  as  we  have  hay 
derricks  and  harvesters.  It  ought  to  be  quite  as  easy  to  invent 
a  dishwashing  machine,  as  one  which  cuts,  threshes  and  sacks 
the  grain  with  one  turn  of  the  wheel.  Women's  very  conser- 
vatism and  content  is  often  her  worst  enemy. 

In  one  respect,  that  of  money,  woman  cannot  help  her- 
self, because  in  most  cases  the  man  holds  the  purse  strings. 
Most  farm  women  make  their  living  out  of  their  chickens 
and  dairy,  and  ready  cash  is  a  thing  they  seldom  see.  Any 
help  or  labor  saving  device  that  costs  money,  is  for  that  rea- 
son forbidden.  Now  this  is  the  case,  not  because  men  as  a 
class  are  stingy,  nor  because  they  do  not  want  to  help  their 
wives,  but  because  they  do  not  think  about  it,  and  the  women 
do  not  make  them  think. 

THE  ACCUMULATION   OF   MONEY   NOT  THE  AIM   OF 
EXISTENCE. 

This  is  the  day  of  labor  saving  devices  in  the  home,  as 
•well  as  on  the  farm.  Scarcely  any  man  would  deny  their 
place  on  the  farm,  because  he  sees  in  their  use  the  saving  to 
him  in  dollars  and  cents,  and  that  always  makes  a  strong  ap- 
peal, since  upon  his  success  depends  the  welfare  of  the  entire 
family.  If  a  sixty  dollar  mowing  machine  will  enable  him  to 
cut  as  much  grass  in  one  hour,  as  his  father  cut  in  one  day 
with  a  scythe,  the  argument  is  complete,  and  he  will  have  the 
machine  if  he  has  to  mortgage  the  farm  to  get  it.  But  if  a 
sixty  dollar  vacuum  cleaner  would  enable  his  wife  to  do  as 
much  cleaning  in  one  hour  as  her  mother  did  in  one  day,  he 
would  doubtless  spend  many  months  thinking  about  the  expen- 
diture of  the  sixty  dollars.  Again,  this  is  not  necessarily  be- 
cause the  man  is  hard-hearted,  unfeeling,  or  stingy,  but  be- 
cause, if  he  thought  of  it  at  all,  he  would  feel  that  man  is  the 


LABOR   SAVING  DEVICES   FOR   THE   FARM   HOME.  43 

bread-winner;  through  his  labors  the  money  and  the  where- 
withal of  Jife  come  into  the  home,  and  any  expenditure  is  jus- 
tified therefore.  But  is  money  the  end  of  existence?  What 
good  is  a  large  bank  account  to  any  man  if  he  has  the  con- 
sciousness of  a  wornout,  ill-tempered  wife  and  a  cheerless 
home  to  greet  him  when  his  day's  work  is  done?  And  no  wo- 
man whose  energy  is  taxed  to  the  breaking  point  by  the  cease- 
less daily,  and  often  nightly  grind  of  toil,  can  be  cheerful  and 
companionable  for  any  length  of  time.  Is  there  a  money 
equivalent  for  the  cheerful  smile  and  life  companionship  of 
the  woman  who  was  once  the  best  on  earth?  Can  money  pay 
for  the  lack  of  things?  Sometimes  money  does  pay — it  often 
pays  coffin  bills  and  undertaker's  fees;  and  many  a  man  has 
found  that  one  hospital  bill  or  doctor's  fee  would  have 
bought  many  a  vacuum  cleaner.  Is  it  not  better  to  practice 
the  ounce  of  prevention  method?  The  farmer  who  under- 
stands that  there  are  things  in  life  worth  infinitely  more  than 
dollars  and  cents,  will  use  every  spark  of  intelligence  and 
some  hard  cash  as  well,  in  making  the  most  perfect  possible 
home. 

It  is  taken  for  granted  then,  that  money  must  be  spent 
for  labor  saving  devices  on  the  farm;  bread  and  dinner,  and 
a  comfortable  home  depends  on  it.  It  is  conceded  that  the  first 
outlay  of  money  must  be  to  facilitate  man's  work,  for  upon  his 
success  depends  the  possibility  of  getting  the  comforts  desired 
in  the  home.  If  only  he  will  not  postpone  too  long  providing  the 
means  to  make  the  partner's  life  endurable.  "Would  it  not 
be  better  to  accumulate  money  a  little  more  slowly,  and  get 
some  joy  out  of  each  passing  day?  Therefore,  it  should  be 
equally  conceded  that  a  certain  amount  of  money  be  spent  in 
the  same  way  for  the  farm  home — joy  and  restful  companion- 
ship depend  on  it. 

POSSIBLE  FARM   MACHINERY. 

Below  is  a  partial  list  of  labor  saving  machinery  which 
may  be  used  on  the  farm,  with  the  approximate  cost  of  ea^h 
article.  This  list  does  not  include  any  of  the  farm  necessities 


44  LABOR   SAVING  DEVICES   FOR   THE   FARM    HOME. 

such  as  horses,  harness,  wagons,  and  the  ordinary  farm  imple- 
ments used  for  the  erection  of  shops,  granaries,  barns,  sheds 
These  are  put  in  the  list  of  necessities.  The  list  of  labor  sav- 
ing devices  includes  simply  those  implements  that  man  has 
invented  to  make  one  hour's  work  do  the  work  of  ten — strict- 
ly labor  saving  devices. 

Following  is  the  list  for  hay,  grain  or  beet  farms: 

Mowing  Machine $60.00  to  $70.00 

Rake  35.00 

Push  Rake  50.00 

Gang  Plow  85.00 

Sulky  Plow  55.00 

Hand  Plow  18.00 

Drag  Harrow  20.00 

Disc  Harrow  50.00 

Drill,  14  Hole  145.00 

Hay  Derrick  100.00 

Threshing  Machine  $1,200.0.0  to  $5,000.00 

Header  275.00 

Reaper   100.00 

Combined  Harvester  : 2,500.00 

Steam  Plow  3,500.00 

Steam  Plow  inc.  Header  and  Thresher 5,300.00 

Alfalfa  Buncher  _ 17.00 

Hay  Tedder 75.00 

Hay  Loader 100.00 

Self  Binder  175,00 

Beet  Puller  25.00 

Hay  Fork  :. 40.00 

Beet  Drill  100.00 

Beet  Cultivator  ..  50.00 


$14,075.00  to  $17,885.00 

There  are  many  other  kinds  of  machines  in  use  on  differ- 
ent farms,  but  the  list  5s  complete  enough  to  make  the 
point  that  there  are  many  such  machines  and  that  they 
quickly  run  into  money. 


LABOR   SAVING  DEVICES   FOR   THE   FARM    HOME.  45 

This  list  was  given  me  by  the  leading  implement  dealers 
of  our  town,  and  ratified  by  some  of  our  best  farmers. 

POSSIBLE   LABOR  SAVING   DEVICES   FOR  THE   FARM    HOME. 

The  term  labor  saving  devices  in  the  farm  home,  does  not 
apply  to  the  necessities  such  as  stoves,  cupboards,  pump, 
dishes,  tubs  and  ordinary  furniture  of  the  home;  but  to  those 
which  have  been  invented  to  accomplish  the  daily  tasks  in  less 
time,  or  with  less  expenditure  of  energy  than  is  ordinarily 
consumed.  This  list  includes: 

Complete  water  system  including  bath  tub, 
sink,  pipes,  pressure  tank  and  all  fix- 
tures, without  labor $125.00 

Heating  system  complete  for  an  eight-room 

two-story  house 200.00  to  $600.00 

Lighting  system  including  pipes,  fittings 
and  fixtures  for  an  eight-room  house, 

without    labor   100.00  to     200.00 

Vacuum  Cleaner  (hand)  8.00  to       25.00 

Eefrigerator  _ 15.00  to     100.00 

Sewing  Machine 20.00  to       75.00 

Washing  Machine  5.00  to       10.00 

'Wringer   3.00  to        5.00 

Dish  Washing  Machine  15.00  to       25.00 

Cold  Mangle   6.00 

Alcohol   Iron   5.00 

Carpet  Sweeper  3.00  to        5.00 

Bread  Mixer  3.00 

Cake    Mixer  1.50 

Meat  and  Vegetable  Mill 1.50 

Fireless  Cooker — depending  on  size 10.00  to       20.00 

Steam    Cooker  8.00 

Coal  Oil  Stove — depending  on  size 5.00  to      15.00 

Dinner  Wagon  (see  illustration)  5.00  to       10.00 

Ash  Chute  for  range  (see  illustration) 10.00 

Cement  Walks  (13c.  sq.    ft.    average    size 


46  LABOR   SAVING  DEVICES   FOR  THE   FARM   HOME. 

cottage)  25.00 

\j\s  VVV^O       / 

Kitchen  tools  about  20.00  up 


$593.00  to  $1,288.00 

This  does  not  include  any  of  the  fixtures  or  machinery 
run  by  electric  power  or  gas.  Many  villages  are  now  connect- 
ed with  such  power,  but  the  majority  are  not,  so  they  are  not 
mentioned.  It  does  include  the  countless  inexpensive  but  use- 
ful articles  which  many  women  deny  themselvs,  such  as  egg 
beaters,  potato  slicers,  flour  sifters,  paper  towels,  dustless 
dusters,  paper  bags  for  cooking,  meat  saw  and  chopper,  bal- 
ances, lid  holder,  coal  box  and  window  cleaner,  and  the  many 
small  utensils  shown  as  a  group  in  illustrations  Nos.  1,  2  and 
3.  It  shows,  also,  however,  that  there  are  many  labor  saving 
devices  for  the  home,  and  that  they  are  very  much  lower  in 
cost  than  the  implements  used  by  the  man  on  the  farm 
The  first  three  items  given  in  the  above  list,  also  the 
next  to  the  last  one  are  really  part  of  the  house  construction 
and  should  be  listed  as  necessities.  They  would  be  luxuries 
in  most  farm  homes,  however,  and  are  so  listed  here. 

A   PERFECTLY   EQUIPPED    FARM    HOME. 

It  is  possible  to  have  on  the  farm  any  and  all  labor  sav- 
ing devices  used  in  the  large  cities  where  electricity  and  gas 
are  provided,  if  the  man  of  the  house  is  sufficiently  interested 
and  can  afford  the  expense.  Such  houses  are  found  occasion- 
ally. One  such  house  is  in  Fielding,  Utah;  it  belongs  to  Mr. 
W.  S.  Hansen,  a  type  of  the  best  farmer,  who  boasts  that  all  he 
has  accumulated  has  come  from  the  soil.  The  house  contains 
all  the  labor  saving,  comfort-giving  devices  possible  in  any 
city  home.  The  house  is  a  twelve  room,  four  story,  modern 
brick  mansion,  and  the  family  large,  so,  that  the  equipment  is 
larger  and  consequently  more  expensive  than  would  be  neces- 
sary for  the  average  home.  The  house  contains  the  following 
labor  saving  devices : 

Hot  water  heating  system :  Hot  and  cold  water  for  kitchen 
and  laundry ;  two  lavatories ;  two  bathrooms ;  an  electric  light 


LABOR   SAVING  DEVICES   FOR   THE   FARM   HOME.  47 

system  for  the  four  stories;  an  acetylene  gas  lighting 
system  for  the  entire  house ;  a  perfectly  equipped  laundry  (in- 
cluding a  large  cylindrical  washer,  automatic  wringer,  cold 
mangle,  steam  drying  apparatus,  automatic  sprinkling  nozzle 
and  stationary  tubs)  ;  a  stationary  vacuum  cleaner  in  base- 
ment with  pipe  connections  on  each  of  the  four  floors ;  besides 
a  dumb  waiter,  clothes  chute  to  basement,  ash  tank  in  base-, 
ment  for  each  grate;  a  complete  cement  basement  and  cement 
walks  around  the  entire  house. 

The  whole  equipment  is  run  by  a  two  and  one-half  horse 
power  gasoline  engine,  which  cost  $100.00.     The  engine  also 


A  model  Farm  Home  owned  and  built  by  Mr.  W.  S.  Hansen  of 
FieHing  Utah.  This  house  possesses  all  the  modern  conveniences 
any  city  home  can  boast. 

pumps  water  into  a  tank  in  the  barn  which  is  used  for  water- 
ing the  animals.  Before  the  engine  was  used,  it  cost  $3.00  a 
day  to  water  the  animals,  if  the  windmill  couldn't  run.  Now 
it  can  be  done  for  10  cents  a  day.  It  costs  11  cents  an  hour  if 
all  the  lights  are  used  to  light  the  house  with  electricity;  only 
15  cents  a  day  with  acetylene  gas.  The  vacuum  cleaner  cost 
$150.00  and  costs  3  cents  an  hour  to  run.  One  whole  floor  con- 
sisting of  five  large  rooms  can  be  cleaned  in  two  hours,  and 
cleaned  as  no  human  power  could  clean  it.  The  cleaner  has 
been  used  two  years  with  perfect  satisfaction. 

The  laundry  has  been  used  six  years,  and  in  all  that  time 
the  only  repairs  has  been  the  tightening  of  one  belt.  It  takes 
a  woman  four  hours  to  wash  for  the  entire  family  of  fifteen 
members  and  at  seasons  hired  help. 


48  LABOR   SAVING  DEVICES   FOR   THE   FARM   HOME. 

This  home  has  two  stories  of  water  supply — the  house  and 
yard  tank;  two  heating  systems — stoves  and  grates  or  the  hot 
water  system ;  and  two  lighting  systems — electricity  or  gasr 
the  one  to  be  used  if  the  other  is  out  of  commission. 

The  owner  estimates  that  all  of  the  machinery  and  appli- 
ances, including  laundry  fixtures,  vacuum  cleaner  and  plumb- 
ing fixtures,  bath  tubs,  sinks,  basins  and  piping,  lighting  sys- 
tems and  everything  named  above,  cost  in  round  numbers 
$2000.00.  This  seems  a  vast  sum  of  money  to  spend  for  home 
machinery,  but  when  one  considers  that  there  are  thousands 
of  dollars  invested  in  farm  machinery  on  this  farm,  the  pro- 
portion does  not  seem  so  large,  especially  when  one  considers 
also  that  the  latter  must  be  replaced  probably  every  ten  years. 

Too  much  cannot  be  said  in  praise  of  a  man  who  provides 
such  a  home  for  his  family.  Of  course,  it  is  granted  that  few 
farmers  could  afford  such  conveniences.  All  that  can  be  de- 
sired is,  that  while  men  are  adding  to  the  farm  large  barns 
and  sheds,  and  every  machine  that  comes  on  the  market,  they 
take  equal  interest  in  spending  money  for  the  betterment  of 
conditions  in  the  home.  The  equivalent  of  the  expenditure 
will  come  back  to  them  many  times  over  though  the  interest 
may  be  paid  in  added  joy  and  happiness  rather  than  in  dollars 
and  cents. 

COMPARATIVE  COST  OF  FARM   HOME  MACHINERY 

To  determine  the  comparative  cost  of  labor  saving  de- 
vices on  the  farm  and  in  the  home,  two  Utah  farmers  were  ex- 
amined for  this  purpose.  Farm  No.  1  is  a  50-acre  hay  and  grain 
farm ;  No.  2  is  an  1800  acre  hay  and  grain  farm.  Below  is  giv- 
en a  list  of  the  labor  saving  machines  found  on  each  of  these 
farm  homes,  with  the  cost  of  each  machine  specified : 


LABOR   SAVING  DEVICES   FOR   THE   FARM   HOME. 


49 


Farm  No.  1. 

For  Hay  and  Grain. 

Implements  used  on  50-acre 

farm. 

Hand   Plow  $18.00 

Sulky  Plow  55.00 

Disc  Harrow  50.00 

Drag  Harrow  20.00 

Mowing  Machine  60.00 

Bake *  30.00 

Drill 100.00 

Hay  Fork 40.00 

Hay  Derrick  100.00 

Self  Binder  175.00 

Besides     a       possible 
$500.00  invested  in 
co-operative  thresh- 
ing machine. 


Farm  No.  2. 

For  Hay  and  Grain. 
Implements  used  on  1800 

acre  farm. 
2       Mowing       Ma-   • 

chines  $  120.00 

2  Bakes  60.00 

Harvester   2,500.00 

Hay  Derrick 100.00 

Hay  Fork  40.00 

Gang  Plow 340.00 

2  Sulky  Plows 110.00 

3  Drag  Harrows  60.00 

4  Disc  Harrows 200.00 

3  Drills 435.00 

1  Hand  Plow 18.00 

Reaper   100.00 


$648.00  to  $1,148.00 


$4,083.00 


The  machinery  is  seldom  cared  for  in  any  thorough  man- 
ner, so  that  it  has  to  be  replaced  every  five  or  ten  years. 

The  labor  saving  devices  for  the  woman's  work  on  these 
€wo  farms  are  tabulated  below : 


Home  No.  1. 

Implements  used  in  Home  of 
Farmer  No.   1. 

Sewing   Machine   $50.00 

Washing    Machine,    in- 
cluding wringer  10.00 

Bread  Mixer  ...  .    "300 


$163.00 


Home  No.  2. 

Implements  used  in  Home  of 
Farmer  No.  2. 

Washing  Machine  $  10.00 

Sewing  Machine  50.00 

Bread         and         Cake 

Mixer   5.00 

Oil  Stove  12.00 

Refrigerator   30.00 

$107.00 


These  machines  when  once  bought  are  supposed  to  last  a 
life  time. 


50  DABOR   SAVING  DEVICES   FOR  THE   FARM   HOME. 


The  difference  is  evident.  Very  much  less  money  is  invest- 
ed in  the  woman's  side  of  the  farm  work  than  in  the  man's 
side;  and  have  we  not  decided  that  woman's  work  is  quite  as 
important  as  man's — because  it  concerns  so  vitally  the  health 
and  happiness  of  the  entire  family.  The  actual  cost  of  devices 
for  her  work  is  low  and  considering  the  importance  of  the 
home  in  the  welfare  of  the  farm  and  the  farmer,  it  is  seriously 
to  be  questioned  if  justice  has  been  done  the  woman  in  the  few 
labor  saving  devices  provided  for  her. 

NECESSARY   FARM    HOME    EQUIPMENT   . 
A  Keen  Interest: 

The  best  labor  saving  device  any  home  can  possess  is  a 
good  brain  and  deep  interest  in  her  work  on  the  part  of  the 
home-maker.  The  old  trite  advice — "Make  your  head  save 
your  heels,"  has  more  in  it  than  appears  at  first.  On  the  fol- 
lowing of  this  advice  depends  all  we  have  now  or  may  hope 
to  have  in  the  way  of  labor  saving  devices:  each  device  has 
some  one's  brains  back  of  it.  The  woman  who  uses  her  head 
in  her  work  and  never  performs  a  task  without  the  accom- 
panying thought — "how  can  I  do  this  better  and  easier,"  is  in 
time  going  to  become  master  of  her  work  and  enjoy  the  doing 
of  it.  The  mental  effort  used  lifts  it  above  drudgery  and 
makes  the  woman  a  professional  worker.  Woman's  work — 
that  of  mother  and  house-keeper,  is  as  important  as  any  on 
earth;  no  man  will  deny  this.  "Women  themselves  should  feel 
more  the  dignity  and  world  of  importance  of  their  life  work, 
for  it  takes  second  place  to  none. 

The  Water  System: 

In  enumerating  the  labor  saving  equipment  of  the  farm 
home,  the  first  to  receive  attention  is  the  water  system.  Every 
home,  if  at  all  possible,  should  have  one.  The  necessity  of 
carrying  all  water  for  cleaning  and  cooking  into  the  house, 
then  carrying  it  out  again,  is  the  worst  kind  of  human  extrav- 
agance. The  following  incident  is  quoted  from  an  article  by 
Mrs.  F.  A.  Stevenson,  in  the  bulletin  of  the  Rural  Life  Con- 
ference held  in  the  University  of  Virginia  last  summer.  "A 


LABOR   SAVING  DEVICES   FOR   THE  FARM   HOME. 


51 


wife  said  to  her  husband — 'Do  you  know  how  many  miles  I 
have  walked  to  and  from  that  spring?'  He  said  he  hadn't 
thought  about  it.  'Well,  I  have  been  figuring  a  little,  and  I 
find  that  since  we  have  been  married  I  have  walked  three 


MISSOURI  Ml  PRESSURE 

WATER  SYSTEM 
MANUf AOTUKID  BV 

MISSOURI 

WTERiSTfAMSUPKUa 

ST  JOSEPH,  MO. 


A  complete  water  system;   satisfactory  in  every  respect  and  not 
prohibitive  in  cost. 

thousand  miles  to  and  from  that  spring,  sometimes  with  one 
and  sometimes  with  two  buckets  of  water'."  Mrs.  Steven- 
son says  further — "A  few  months  ago  I  met  an  agent  whose 
business  it  is  to  supply  barns  with  an  adequate  flow  of  water 
for  the  stock  on  the  farm.  He  told  me  that  frequently  for  the 
sum  of  $2.00  to  $5.00  the  water  could  also  be  piped  to  the 


52 


LABOR    SAVING    DEVICES    FOR    THE    FARM    HOME. 


MISSOURI  AIR  PRESSURE 

WATER  SYSTEM 

MANUFACTURED  BY 

MISSOURI^- 

ST.  JOSEPH,  MO. 


NOTE-^-The  pipe  shown  running  down  to  near  the  bottom  of 
boiler  is  size  ^-inch  and  delivers  the  cold  water  near  the  bottom 
BO  as  not  to  disturb  the  body  of  hot  which  is  constantly  accumulating 
Bo  as  to  deliver  itself  on  call. 


LABOR   SAVING   DEVICES    FOR   THE   FARM    HOME. 


53 


farm  house  and  that  only  rarely  did  the  farm  man  think  the 
expenditure  was  justifiable." 

In  such  a  system  as  the  one  illustrated,  the  labor  for  keep- 
ing a  constant  supply  of  water  in  the  house  is  very  small.  A 
man  need  only  give  the  pump  a  few  arm  strokes  on  his  way 
to  the  barn  and  that  is  all  that  is  necessary.  Of  course,  a 
windmill  does  away  with  this. 

The  Sink: 

In  placing  plumbing  fixtures  in  the  home,  be  sure  the 
sink  is  high  enough  so  the  woman  does  not  have  to  stoop  at 


MISSOURI^!0 

ST.  JOSEPH,  MO. 


Sink  Combination  with  Pump  Attachment.     Cost  complete    (without 

labor),  $6.12. 

all  in  working  there;  also  avoid  wooden  strips  and  all  cracks 
around  the  sink;  also  cupboards  under  the  sink  if  possible 
Cracks  where  moisture  and  warmth  are  present  are  best  possi- 
ble breeding  places  for  all  kinds  of  disease  germs  and  vermin. 


54  LABOR   SAVING  DEVICES   FOR   THE   FARM   HOME. 

The  Bath  Tub: 

A  large  room    is  not    necessary     for  a  bath     room;     if 

•  WATER 


A  Hot  Water  arrangement  which  can  be  installed  in  any  home. 
Cost  complete  $25.60. 


LABOR   SAVING   DEVICES    FOR   THE   FARM   HOME.  55 

possible  place  the  bath  tub  far  enough  from  the  wall  so  that 
it  will  be  easy  to  clean  around  the  tub.  If  space  is  an  item,  a 
folding  tub  may  be  had  for  $18.00;  with  an  attached  heater 
$23.00.* 

Water  Closets: 

Indoor  water  closets  are  most  desirable  where  there  is 
sufficient  drainage  to  make  a  cess  pool  sanitary;  otherwise 
not.  Many  kinds  including  anti-freezing  hoppers  for  use  in 
stables  or  out  of  doors  are  shown  in  catalogs  of  firms  handling 
these  goods.* 

There  are  other  water  systems  on  the  market  which  do 
away  with  a  storage  tank  for  water  as  well  as  the  one  illustrat- 
ed; if  any  storage  tank  is  used,  it  should  never  be  placed  in 
the  attic;  it  may  freeze  in  winter;  the  water  becomes  too 
warm  in  summer,  and  there  is  always  danger  from  leakage. 

Even  on  farms  where  the  price  of  the  complete  system  is 
prohibitive,  some  method  could  be  provided,  if  it  is  only  a 
tank  or  barrel  on  the  porch  or  in  the  corner  of  the  kitchen. 
By  a  few  arm  strokes  daily  this  could  be  kept  full,  so  that  a 
cold  water  supply  is  always  on  hand  and  that  is  half  the  battle. 
Then  with  little  more  expense,  a  sink  could  be  had  with  out- 
let on  some  sunny  part  of  the  garden ;  and  in  time  a  bath  tub 
with  heater  and  tank  could  be  added.  (See  illustrations  Nos. 
6  and  8.)  It  is  worthy  of  no;te  that  a  supply  of  running  water 
at  hand  is  a  possible  preventative  of  disastrous  fires. 

A  Heating  System: 

Few  farm  homes  or  city  homes  of  more  than  four  rooms, 
know  the  luxury  of  being  warm  in  the  winter.  It  is  much 
cheaper  to  heat  an  eight  room  house  with  a  furnace  than  with 
stoves,  to  say  nothing  of  the  saving  in  labor  and  dirt.  This 
is  known  by  personal  experience.  If  one  can't  afford  to  keep 
a  large  house  warm  during  the  winter  months,  one  ought  not 
to  afford  to  build  it.  It  is  not  healthful  to  have  one  or  two 


*If  interested  send  for  catalogs  from  different  firms  and  get  all  possi- 
ble information  on  this  important  subject.  A  local  firm  handling1  a  system 
without  storage  tank  is  Fairbanks-Morse  Co.,  of  Salt  Lake  City. 

*See  catalog  of  Missouri  Water  and  Steam  Supply  Co. 


56 


LABOR   SAVING  DEVICES    FOR   THE   FARM    HOME. 


rooms  warm  and  all  the  others  icy  cold.  A  furnace  to  heat 
a  six  or  ten  room  house  can  be  installed  for  $200.00  to 
$600.00  depending  upon  the  kind  of  heat  and  style  of  furnace. 
The  actual  running  expense  is  less  than  heating  with  stoves. 

Lighting  System: 

The  day  of  the  tallow  candle  has  passed.  Just  as  sure  is 
passing  the  day  of  kerosene  lamps.  With  the  possibility  of  in- 
stalling an  individual  acetylene  gas  plant  in  an  eight-room 

house  for  $100.00,  the  time  is  in  sight  for  doing  away  with  the 


This  cut  shows  clan  for  piping  houses  and  outbuildings  for  Missouri  System  of  Gas  Lighting. 

An  acetylene  gas  lighting  plant.  Approximate  cost  of  lighting 
a  house  this  size  $90.00;  with  running  expenses  less  than  the  use 
of  kerosene. 


daily  filling  and  cleaning  of  lamps.  Acetylene  gas  is  not  dan- 
gerous if  cared  for  by  a  responsible  person,  in  reality  it  is  not 
so  dangerous  as  kerosene ;  the  gas  is  not  poisonous  if  taken  in- 
to the  lungs  by  accident.  In  1906,  142,000  buildings  in  the  Unit- 
ed States  were  lighted  by  this  gas.  The  daily  cost  of  acetjdene 
gas  is  rather  lower  tha'n  kerosene,  with  carbide  at  5%  cents 
per  lb.,  as  it  is  in  Salt  Lake  City,  and  kerosene  at  25  cents  per 
gal.  If  a  standard  carbide-feed  generator  is  used  there  can  be 
no  danger  from  its. use  for  a  safety  pipe  is  used  which  makes 


LABOR   SAVING  DEVICES   FOR   THE   FARM    HOME.  57 

accidents  almost  impossible.     It  may  easily  be  piped  to  the 
yard  or  barn  as  shown  in  illustration  No.  9-a. 
Vacuum  Cleaner: 

Many  different  kinds  of  vacuum  cleaners  are  on  the  mar- 
ket; the  hand  cleaners  cost  from  $8.00  to  $25.00 — the  electric 
from  $25.00  to  $125.00.    Too  much  cannot  be  said  in  favor  of 
them,  even  where  the  hand  machine  is  used,  as  a  great  deal  of 
time  and  energy  is  saved  in  its  use,  besides  the  thoroughness 
with  which  the  work;  is  done.    No  amount  of  " elbow  grease" 
expended  in  sweeping  can  compare  with  the  cleanliness  of  the 
room  after  the  vacuum  cleaner  has  been  used  on  it.     After 
sweeping  and  cleaning  a  bedroom  and  a  dining  room  rug  as 
thoroughly  as  a  good  strong  woman  could  do  it,  the  vacuum 
cleaner  was  passed  over  them  and  a  six-quart  milk  pail  level 
full — probably  eight  pounds — of  fine  dust  and  dirt  was  extract- 
ed from  the  two  rugs.    Aside  from  the  saving  of  energy  is  the 
saving  of  the  furniture.    While  you  are    wearing     out    your 
brooms,  you  may  be  sure  the  carpets  and  furniture  are  being 
worn  to  the  same  extent.     The  cleaners  are  used  with  great 
success  in  many  families ;  once  used  they  would  not  do  without 
them. 

Refrigerators: 

Every  farm  home  should  be  supplied  with  some  means  of 
keeping  the  food  cool,  other  than  the  one  usually  resorted  to — 
the  cellar  or  the  cool  out-house  ten  or  one  hundred  steps  remov- 
ed from  the  kitchen.  A  refrigerator  or  some  kind  of  artificial 
cooler  should  be  a  part  of  every  kitchen  furniture,  and  should 
be  as  necessary  as  the  stove.  In  places  where  ice  is  not  to  be 
procured,  it  is  possible  to  make  a  cupboard,  in  some  instances 
where  running  water  can  be  utilized.  Or,  a  cupboard  could  be 
built  which  has  access  to  the  outside  air,  the  shelves  being  of 
wire  netting  which  permits  the  constant  circulation  of  the  air 
—this  cupboard,  if  possible,  being  on  the  shady  side  of  the 
house.  The  principle  used  in  the  African  water  bottle  may  be 
utilized;  that  of  having  a  cupboard  covered  with  some  absor- 


a.  If  interested  in  a  local  firm,  send  to  the  Will  Reese  Plumbing  Co., 
Salt  Lake  City  for  information.  The  Colt  generator  is  highly  recommended 
by  those  who  have  used  it,  as  well  as  the  one  shown  in  aoove  illustration. 


58  LABOR   SAVING  DEVICES   FOR   THE   FARM    HOME. 

bent  material  and  allowing  the  cover  to  be  constantly  satur- 
ated with  water.  In  our  Western  climate  evaporation  of  the 
water  keeps  the  inside  air  as  cool  as  could  be  desired. 

Sewing  and  Washing  Machines: 

Nothing  need  be  said  in  favor  of  the  sewing  and  washing 
machines — they  have  come  to  stay.  It  is  to  be  wished  only 
that  electricity  could  be  supplied  in  the  majority  of  houses  to 
run  these  machines  without  human  power.  One  washing  ma- 
chine has  been  very  highly  recommended  as  being  almost  as 
economical  of  energy  as  is  the  electric  washer.  It  uses  the  prin- 
ciple of  the  circulation  of  steam  as  a  means  of  removing  dirtr 
and  its  price  is  not  prohibitive — not  more  than  $10.00.  Those 
who  have  used  it  are  very  enthusiastic  in  its  praise.* 

It  is  hoped  that  in  the  not  too  distant  future,  each  village 
may  have  its  public  laundry,  and  this  industry  taken  out  of  the 
home  as  has  been  the  weaving  and  other  industries.  But  un- 
til that  day  comes,  every  means  should  be  used  to  make  this 
necessary  labor  as  light  as  possible. 

The  Successful  Dish  Washer: 

This  is  possibly  a  machine  of  the  future.  A  few  different 
kinds  are  on  the  market,  but  for  the  small  family  at  home 
they  seem  not  yet  entirely  successful.  The  Home  Economics 
Department  of  the  Utah  Agricultural  College,  is  experiment- 
ing now,  with  more  or  less  practical  results,  on  small  machines 
advertised  as  being  adapted  to  the  use  of  the  ordinary  family.* 

Certainly  nothing  is  more  needed  in  all  the  homes  of  the 
civilized  world  than  some  satisfactory  solution  of  the  "dish 
washing  problem." 

A  Mangle: 

You  will  notice  in  the  list  given  above  a  mangle  is  men- 
tioned. There  is  hardly  one  home  in  a  thousand  in  this  coun- 
try, provided  with  a  mangle ;  and  yet  in  the  older  countries  of 
Europe,  the  poorest  possible  house-worker  would  feel  she  was 
imposed  upon  if  she  had  to  iron  by  hand  her  so-called  "flat 


"This  machine  is  the  Improved  Steam  washer,   manufactured  by  A.   L. 
Betzer,   1507  Brooklyn  Ave.,  Kansas  City,  Mo. 


LABOR   SAVING  DEVICES   FOR   THE  FARM   HOME.  59 

work. ' '  Three-fourths  of  the  ordinary  ironing  could  be  passed 
through  a  mangle  and  done  in  much  less  time.  In  a  family 
where  the  mangle  is  used,  it  has  been  proved  that  ironing 
which  takes  five  hours  to  do  by  hand,  can  be  passed  through 
the  mangle  in  25  minutes,  and  the  work  is  better  done.  Con- 
sidering the  cost  of  the  mangle — from  $6.00  to  $25.00,  no  home 
in  which  weekly  ironing  is  done,  should  be  considered  equip- 
ped without  one.  ** 

The  Alcohol  Iron: 

Can  be  used  at  a  cost  of  a  cent  and  a  half  an  hour  by  us- 
ing denatured  alcohol  at  60  cents  a  gallon.  Care  must  be  ex- 
ercised in  using  this  iron ;  but  its  use  saves  countless  steps  and 
is  much  preferable  to  the  old  journey  between  the  table  and 
stove.  Of  course  the  electric  iron  is  to.  be  preferred  if  it  can 
be  used.  The  best  advice  to  give  on  this  subject  is  to  reduce 
the  ironing  to  a  minimum.  Washing  is  a  necessity ;  ironing  a 
luxury.  Use  the  knitted  and  crepe  underwear  as  much  as 
possible;  also  soft  bosomed  shirts  for  men;  and  let  the  sheets 
and  towels  be  used  as  they  come  from  the  line  saturated  with 
sunshine. 

The  Carpet  Sweeper: 

Most  house-keepers  have  agreed  that  the  carpet  as  a  floor 
covering  must  go.  It  is  unsanitary  as  well  as  back-breaking 
to  keep  clean.  However,  where  carpets  or  rugs  are  still  used, 
the  sweeper  will  be  found  most  useful  in  taking  up  the  top 
dirt — not  as  a  means  of  thorough  cleaning,  however. 

Bread  and  Cake  Mixei's: 

No  really  progressive  woman  will  refrain  from  trying  the 
bread  and  cake  mixers,  and  if  she  persists  in  using  them  one 
month,  she  would  not  want  to  keep  house  without  them.  The 
same  could  be  said  of  the  meat  mill,  or  grinder,  which  finds 
use  in  countless  ways  in  every  kitchen. 


*If  you  are  interested,  write  to  the  Director  of  this  Department,  or  to 
the  National  Machine  &  Stamping  Company  of  Detroit,  Mich.,  for  literature. 

**For  information  address  American  Ironing  Machine  Co.,  B-52  E  Lake 
St.,  Chicago,  111. 


60  LABOR   SAVING  DEVICES   FOR   THE   FARM   HOME. 

The  Fireless  Cooker: 

Much  could  be  said  in  favor  of  using  the  fireless  cooker, 
particularly  on  a  hot  day  when  the  farm  hands  must  be  pro- 
vided with  warm  meals,  and  when  cooking  over  a  hot  stove 
is  almost  an  unendurable  process.  Those  who  have  used  the 
cooker  most,  declare  that  after  its  use,  food  cooked  on  the 
stove  is  dry  and  tasteless.  It  is  most  highly  recommended  to 
housewives.  There  are  many  different  kinds  on  the  market — 
any  one  of  which  has  advantages  and  disadvantages.  Any  one 
in  which  the  plates  are  made  of  iron  (which  may  be  placed  in- 
side the  fire-box  to  heat),  will  be  found  most  useful.  Success 
depends  on  getting  the  plates  very  hot.  In  the  early  morning 
when  it  is  cool,  a  fire  could  be  made,  the  plates  heated,  food 
for  the  hot  meal  at  night  put  in  the  fireless  cooker,  and  the 
fire  allowed  to  go  out.  The  food  will  be  found  ready  when 
wanted.  The  fireless  cooker  is  no  longer  an  experiment;  it 
is  used  in  many,  houses  with  great  success  today.* 

The  Steam  Cooker: 

Is  very  convenient  in  bottling  fruit,  steaming  chicken  and 
puddings  and  in  countless  ways  familiar  to  every  housewife. 
(See  illustration  No.  3.)  Its  cost  is  saved  many  times  over  by 
its  convenience  and  the  success  which  attends  its  use.  (See 
page  40.) 

Coal  Oil  Stoves: 

Are  also  used  with  success  by  many  housewives.  One  good 
houeskeeper  I  know  uses  a  coal  oil  stove  and  a  fireless  cooker 
entirely,  and  finds  that  her  fuel  bills  and  labor  are  much  less 
than  when  she  used  a  coal  range.  Their  use  is  most  highly 
recommended  in  warm  weather ;  the  oven  can  be  used  success- 
fully ;  and  the  cost  of  running  is  not  at  all  prohibitive. 

Dinner  Wagon: 

In  homes  where  it  is  necessary  to  have  a  separate  kitchen 
and  dining  room,  it  should  be  considered  necessary  to  have  a 


*See  bulletin  217  of  the  University  of  Wisconsin,  on  "Fireless  Cookers", 
by  Ellen  A.  Huntington. 

The  Rapid  Cooker  is  one  that  may  be  recommended.  It  is  manufactured 
by  Wm.  Campbell  Co.,  of  Detroit,  Mich. 


LABOR   SAVING   DEVICES    FOR   THE   FARM    HOME. 


Gl 


so-called  "dinner  wagon,"  an  illustration  of  which  is  given, 
No.  11.  This  dinner  wagon  can  be  made  by  any  one  who  knows 
how  to  handle  tools  at  all,  and  as  you  see,  is  in  reality  a  two 
or  three  story  table  on  wheels.  This  should  stand  near  the 
kitchen  stove,  and  on  it  should  be  placed  everything  required 
for  the  meal.  It  can  be  wheeled  into  the  dining  room  or  to 


.     so-called  "dinner-wagon."  Designed  to  save  steps  between  kitchen 
and  dining  room. 

the  table,  and  then  set  aside  until  required  to  move  everything 
from  the  dining  table  back  to  the  kitchen.  Think  of  the 
countless  steps  saved  by  the  use  of  such  a  simple  little  appli- 
ance as  this. 

Ash  Chute  for  the  Range: 

Much  time,  dirt  and  annoyance  could  be  saved  in  every 
kitchen  if  an  ash  chute  could  be  provided  for  the  cooking 
stove.  The  tank  shown  in  illustration  No.  12,  holds  three 
months  supply  of  ashes,  and  could  be  fitted  to  most  any  range 
by  some  competent  person.  This  could  be  used  in  any  locality 
where  a  cellar  is  possible.  By  the  mere  drawing  of  a  slide,  the 


62 


LABOR   SAVING   DEVICES   FOR   THE   FARM    HOME. 


ashes  are  emptied — think  of  it !    No  dirt ;  no  bending  of  backs 
to  jerk  out  the  warped  ash  pan;  and  no  danger  of  forgetting 


ASEMENT 


An  ash-chute  for  the  kitchen  range.     A  decided  labor  saving  derice 
and  should  be  used  in  every  kitchen  if  possible 

the  dirty  job  so  that  the  life  of  the  grate  is  in  danger.  The 
cost  of  the  can  and  pipes,  and  all  connections  is  only  $10.00! 
Cement  Walks  are  listed  among  the  labor  saving  devices. 
They  should  be  listed  among  the  necessities.  House  labor 
should  not  only  include  getting  dirt  out  of  the  house,  but  pre- 
yenting  the  dirt  from  getting  in.  Half  the  cleaning  of  every 


LABOR   SAVING   DEVICES   FOR   THE   FARM    HOME.  63 

home  could  be  saved  if  cement  walks  were  used  around  the 
house.  A  wise  woman  should  stipulate  that  cement  walks  and 
cellar  be  built  as  soon  as  possible  after  the  building  of  the 
house.  Thjs  seems  strange  doctrine  to  preach  to  farmers' 
wives  who  live  in  isolated  districts,  many  miles  from  the  rail- 
road; but  if  possible,  get  the  cement  walks  and  cellars.  The 
cost  is  not  prohibitive ;  for  even  in  districts  where  railroads 
have  not  yet  penetrated,  cement  could  be  hauled  at  an  addi- 
tional cost  of  a  few/ cents  per  hundred  pounds.  As  a  matter 
of  fact,  when  the  cement  walk  or  its  equivalent  is  considered 
a  necessity,  the  cement  will  be  found  as  easily  as  are  building 
materials. 

DESIRABLE    KITCHEN   TOOLS. 

Illustrations  Nos.  1,  2,  3  and  4  show  a  number  of  small  in- 
expensive, but  very  useful  kitchen  utensils.  They  are  each 
listed  below  with  cost. 

ILLUSTRATION    NO.    1.— FRONTISPIECE. 

Articles—  Cost. 

Wooden  spoons,  Nos.  1,  2  and  6 $  .25 

Soap  shaker,  No.  3  10 

Fork,  No.  4  _ 15 

Spoon,  No.  5  05 

Turner,  No.  7  -. 10 

Vegetable  slicer,  No.  8 35 

Potato  slicer,  No.   11 25 

Cork  Screw,  No.  9  25 

Wire  dish  cloth,  No.  10  10 

Funnel,  No.  12  10 

Potato  or  vegetable  strainer,  No.  13 35 

Double  boiler,  No.  23 1.00 

Triplicate  saucepans,  aluminum,  No.  21 1.90 

Lemon  squeezer,  No.  22 10 

Measuring  cup,  No.  20 .10 

Measuring  cup,  No.  17  05 

Measuring  cup,  No.  18  10 


64  LABOR   SAVING   DEVICES    FOR   THE   FARM    HOME. 

Large  cup  or  small  saucepan,  No.  19 25 

Pastry  brush,  No.  19a 35 

Aluminum  saucepan,  No.  16 1.10 

Aluminum  fry  pan,  No.  15 1.50 

$8.50 

The  meat  mill  No.  14,  is  listed  on  page  15. 
The  home-made  lid  rack  No.  '24,  was  made  from  materials 
found  around  the  house,  so  its  cost  is  not  listed. 

ILLUSTRATION    NO.  2. 

Faring  knives,  different  shapes,  Nos.  1,  2,  8,  9  or  13,  each...$  .25 

Butcher  knives,  different  shapes,  No.  3  or  5,  each 75 

Bread  knife,  No.  4 „ 75 

Palate  knife,  No.  11 .35 

Meat  Cleaver,  No.  6  35 

Meat  Saw,  No.  7  40 

Pastry  Cutters^  No.  10 , 25 

Nutmeg  Grater,  No.  12 25 

Egg  Whip,  No.  14  10 

Egg  Beater,  No.  15  or  16 10 

Dover  Beater,  No.  17 15 

Dover  Beater  for  whipped  cream,  No.  18 15 

Dover  Beater  for  use  in  small  utensil,  No.  19 15 

Brush  for  washing  windows,  No.  20 1.00 

"Window  drier,  No.  21  ..  .25 


ILLUSTRATION   NO.  3. 

Scott  Paper  Towels,  150  to  pkg  (extra  heavy),  No.  1 $  .35 

Millar  Paper  Towels,  480  to  pkg,  No.  2 25 

Aluminum  Teakettle,  No.  3 3.25 

Balances,  No.  8  1.60 

Baking  dish,  No.  9  .90 


LABOR   SAVING   DEVICES   FOR   THE   FARM    HOME.  65 

Paper  bags  (pkg.  of  30),  Nos.  6  and  7  25 

Aluminum  Steam  Cooker,  No.  4,  cost  $5.75* 

Dustless  Dusters^  Nos.  10  and  11,  each  25c 50 


$7.10 
A  Workman   Is  Known   by   His  Tools. 

Before  speaking  of  the  above  utensils  in  detail,  it  must 
be  stated  plainly  that  each  kitchen  should  be  provided  with 
any  and  all  tools  it  needs,  but  not  any  more.  No  man  can  do 
good  work  without  good  tools ;  and  what  is  more,  he  does  not 
try  it.  But  a  woman  will  work  for  years  with  dull  knives, 
broken  scissors,  leaky  pans,  because  she  does  not  have  the  im- 
mediate means  or  the  "spunk"  to  replace  them.  This  should 
not  be  necessary,  but  if  it  is,  then  she  must  use  her  wits  and 
wisdom  and  find  ways  of  procuring  the  things  she  needs  when 
she  needs  them.  It  would  give  more  real  comfort  to  most  wo- 
men to  have  a  fine  sharp  knife  or  scissors  to  use  daily  than  to 
have  a  fancy  lace  jabot  to  wear  on  Sunday — if  they  can't  have 
both.  So  by  a  little  scheming  and  twisting  of  resources  a  wo- 
man could  get  these  things  she  needs  if  she  would. 

Too  Many  is  as  Bad  as  Not  Enough: 

A  word  of  caution  may  be  necessary  here :  Don't  feel  that 
everything  shown  in  the  accompanying  pictures^  must  be  had 
in  eviery  kitchen.  It  is  not  intended  so.  They  are  merely  sug- 
gestive useful  tools;  but  should  they  all  be  needed,  their  cost 
is  not  prohibitive — $20.85  for  all  shown  in  illustration  1,  2,  and 
3. 

To  have  a  kitchen  filled  with  little  "knick-knacks  that 
may  con»e  in  handy  sometimes"  is  the  worst  kind  of  extrava- 
gance of  money  and  energy ;  they  only  hinder  and  cause  extra- 
work  in  keeping  clean,  and  any  kitchen  is  hard  enough  to  keep 
clean  at  best.  Some  women  purchase  everything  they  see  just 
because  it  looks  good  or  useful.  Wait  until  there  is  a  need  for 
an  article  and  then  get  it,  by  some  means  or  other. 


*Steam   cooker  No.    5  is  listed  on  page  15   and  as  one  would  not  want 
the  two  styles,   the  price  for  No.  4  is  not  listed  with  the  total  here. 


66  LABOR   SAVING  DEVICES   FOR   THE   FARM   HOME. 

Where  They  Can  Be  Obtained. 

The  question  of  how  to  get  these  articles  may  be  well  ask- 
ed by  some  isolated  farm  dwellers.  Since  this  is  the  day  of  the 
telephone,  telegraph  and  parcels  post,  nothing  is  impossible. 
Again  let  it  be  suggested  that  your  nearest  local  dealer  be  ask- 
ed for  the  article  you  want.  This  creates  the  demand;  your 
neighbor  seeing  your  useful  article  will  want  one  like  it  and  so 
on.  If  your  dealer  does  not  have  it  and  does  not  care  to  get  it, 
then  you  are  justified  in  sending  to  the  nearest  large  town  or 
any  place  in  fact  where  you  can  get  it. 

The  Use  of  Light  Utensils. 

Many  of  the  utensils  shown  in  the  illustrations  are  made 
of  aluminum.  They  are  being  made  now  so  that  they  are  much 
more  durable  than  formerly  and  are  not  so  expensive.  They 
are  recommended  most  highly  by  those  who  have  used  them  be- 
cause they  are  so  easy  to  handle  and  have  no  lining  to  chip  or 
break,  leaving  them  marred.  As  far  as  possible  the  use  of 
heavy  utensils  should  be  avoided;  a  woman's  strength  can  be 
used  to  better  advantage  than  in  lifting  heavy  pots  and  ket- 
tles. 

DESCRIPTION   OF  UTENSILS. 
Illustration  No.  1. 

Wooden  Spoons. — Nos.  1,  2,  and  6  should  be  found  in  every 
kitchen.  They  are  light  to.  handle ;  if  made  right  are  easy  to 
keep  clean;  they  have  no  injurious  compound  in  any  mixture 
stirred  with  them  (as  iron  or  tin  is  apt  to  do) ;  they  do  not 
scrape  or  scratch  the  utensils  in  stirring ;  they  are  cheap ;  they 
are  durable.  No.  1  is  useful  in  stirring  large  quanities  of  fruit 
or  pickles.  Nos.  2  and  6  are  used  in  stirring  or  mixing  smaller 
quantities. 

No.  3  is  a  soap  shaker.  The  small  clasp  is  loosened  and 
the  small  bits  of  soap  left  from  the  bar  (which  are  sometimes 
wasted)  are  placed  in  the  cup.  The  ends  are  of  netting  and  as 
shaken  in  the  water  allows  the  suds  to  escape. 


•If  your  local  dealer  cannot  get  the  goods  you  want,  send  to  the  Salt 
Lake  Hardware  Co.,  42  West  2nd  South  St.,  Salt  Lake  City,  for  catalogues 
and  information.  If  they  can't  supply  you,  send  to  John  D.  Bang  &  Co., 
296  Wabash  Ave.,  Chicago,  111.  This  latter  firm  carries  everything  manu- 
facture in  the  line  of  kitchen  utensils.  Try  the  home  firms  first. 


LABOR   SAVING  DEVICES   FOR   THE  FARM   HOME.  67 

Nos.  4,  5  and  7 Fork,  spoon  and  pancake  turner  need 

no  introduction.     They  are  go.od  in  shape  and  style. 

Numbers  8  and  11 — A  vegetable  and  a  potato  slicer 
would  probably  be  used  only  in  large  families  or  in  families 
where  large  quantities  of  fried  vegetables  are  used.  No.  11 
is  used  also,  for  slicing  cabbage  for  cold  slaw  or  sauer-kraut. 
Numbers  9,  10  and  12 — An  Improved  cork-screw,  wire 
dish  cloth  and  funnel  are  articles  that  speak  for  themselves. 

No.  23  is  a  porcelain  lined  double  boiler,  used  often  in 
every  kitchen. 

No.  21  is  a  triplicate  saucepan  so  called.  It  is  in  reality 
three  saucepans  fitted  together  so  that  they  occupy  the  space 
of  one  large  one.  They  are  especially  useful  on  the  coal  oil 
stove,  as  they  enable  three  different  articles  to  be  cooked  over 
one  burner.  The  handles  are  adjustable  and  can  be  removed  if 
desired  with  these  triplicate  saucepans. 

Numbers  17,18  and  20  are  measuring  cups  in  tin,  aluminum 
and  glass.  Most  homes  are  furnished  with  a  graduated  quart 
cup ;  but  when  it  comes  to  measuring  the  half-cup  or  one-third 
cup  the  cook  must  guess  and  sometimes  makes  mistakes.  The 
use  of  the  graduated  standard  cup-measure  is  recommended; 
there  are  marks  on  one  side  dividing  the  cup  into  thirds;  on 
the  other,  into  quarters. 

No.  22  is  a  glass  lemon  squeezer  and  is  preferable  to  any 
kind  of  metal  because  of  the  danger  of  the  strong  acid  attack- 
ing the  metal. 

No.  19  is  a  very  small  saucepan  and  brush.  It  is  used  for 
holding  the  grease — lard,  dripping,  butter  or  oil— for  greas- 
ing bread  and  cake  tins  or  pudding  molds.  It  is  very  conve- 
nient, being  much  easier  to  use  the  brush  in  getting  around 
the  tins  than  the  rag  or  paper  used  by  many  women.  The 
brush  should  be  thoroughly  cleaned  every  week  in  boiling  wa- 
ter. A  large  cup  may  be  used  in  place  of  the  small  sauce 
pan. 

Numbers  15  and  16  are  frying  pan  and  sauce  pan  in  alu- 
minum. They  are  light  and  easy  to  handle  and  are  recom- 
mended for  that  reason. 


68  LABOR   SAVING  DEVICES   FOR   THE   FARM    HOME. 

No.  13  is  a  potato  riser  or  vegetable  puree  strainer.  It 
is  very  useful  in  mashing  or  flaking  hot  potatoes;  also  in 
mashing  vegetables  for  the  making  of  milk  soups  and  many 
other  purposes. 

No.  14  is  a  meat  or  vegetable  grinder.  Its  use  is  manifold 
in  every  kitchen;  for  grinding  tough  meats — cooked  or  un- 
cooked; making  dry  bread  or  crackers  into  crumbs;  grinding 
of  vegetables  for  pickles  and  other  purposes;  making  of  pea- 
nut butter;  and  also  for  countless  other  uses. 

No.  24  is  a  home-made  lid  rack;  it  was  made  by  a  fifteen 
year-old  boy  out  of  bits  of  lumber  found  around  the  house. 
Therefore  in  the  list  above  the  cost  is  not  given.  If  made  by 
a  carpenter  it  would  probably  not  cost  more  than  $1.00.  It 
could  be  made  out  of  metal.  It  is  very  useful  as  most  women 
will  see  at  a  glance;  if  the  lids  are  in  a  drawer  or  on  a  shelf, 
the  lid  one  wants  is  always  under  all  the  others. 

Illustration  No.  2. 

Numbers  1,  2,  3,  4,  5,  8,  9,  11  and  13  are  different 
shapes  and  sizes  of  kitchen  knives.  They  are  scarcely  to  be 
classed  as  labor  saving  devices  since  every  kitchen  must  hav« 
them  in  some  shape.  Too  many  women  however  are  content 
to  use  awkward  shapes  ,and  poor  cheap  steel,  which  can  never 
be  sharpened,  and  these  are  shown  as  samples  of  good  shapes 
and  good  quality. 

Each  kitchen  should  have  at  least  four  good  knives — a 
paring  knife ;  a  bread  knife ;  a  palate  knife — No.  11,  and  a 
good  steel  butcher  knife.  And  they  should  be  kept  in  good 
condition  by  the  frequent  use  of  a  steel  or  emery  sharpener. 
No  good  butcher  ever  allows  a  knife  to  lose  its  edge  or  be- 
come dull.  He  sharpens  it  a  little  every  time  he  uses  it,  with 
an  occasional  grinding  or  honing. 

Numbers  4  and  5  have  steel  blades  and  aluminum  hand- 
les. This  is  the  most  sanitary  and  durable  knife  on  the  market. 
Wooden  handles  are  sure  to  warp  and  shrink  because  of  use 
and  washing;  the  cracks  become  filled  with  dirt  that  can't  be 
removed;  and  it  is  only  a  question  of  time  till  the  handle  and 
the  knife  part  company  and  the  knife  is  useless  even  tho  the 


LABOR   SAVING   DEVICES    FOR   THE   FARM    HOME.  69 

blade  may  be  better  than  when  first  bought — for  use  improves 
a  good  steel  blade.  Henae  a  demand  should  be  made  for  a 
more  durable  knife  handle. 

No.  11  is  a  so-called  palate  knife  and  is  just  as  useful  in 
a  kitchen  as  a  butcher  knife.    It  has  no.  edge  and  is  very  lim- 


A  Group  of  Kitchen  "Utensils. 

ber ;  is  used  to  loosen  cooked  food  from  baking  utensils ;  lift- 
ing a  cake  from  pan  to  board  and  in  countless  other  ways.  Once 
used  no  housekeeper  would  do  without  it. 

Numbers  6  and  7  are  meat  cleavers  and  saw.  In  families 
where  large  quantities  of  meat  are  handled  they  are  very  nec- 
essary. 

No.  10  is  a  set  of  pastry  cutters  for  different  size  cookies 
or  biscuit;  and  while  cheap  are  "handy." 

No.  12  is  a  nutmeg  grater.  The  nutmeg  is  placed  in  the 
upper  tin  out  of  the  dust  and  by  turning  a  small  handle  it  is 
grated  without  being  handled  at  all. 

Numbers  14,  15,  16,  17,  18  and  19  ar.e  different  style  egg 
whips  and  beaters.  The  egg  whips — 14,  15  and  16  are  used  for 


70  LABOR   SAVING  DEVICES    FOR   THE   FARM   HOME. 

beating  egg  whites ;  also  for  stirring  gravies  or  sauces.  No,  18 
is  especially  good  for  whipping  cream ;  and  No.  19  is  useful 
to  beat  anything  in  a  cup  or  pitcher  or  any  small  receptacle. 
Numbers  20  and  21  are  useful  in  the  home  for  cleaning 
•outside  windows.  No.  20  is  a  white-wash  brush ;  fitted  with  a 
long  handle,  it  is  very  satisfactory  in  washing  outside  win- 
dows. No.  21  is  a  so-called  "window  drier";  it  is  made  of  tin 
•with  a  strip  of  rubber  across  the  edge.  It,  also,  must  be  fitted 
•with  a  long  handle.  Armed  with  these  two  inexpensive  arti- 
cles any  boy  can  clean  all  the  outside  windows  in  a  short  space 
of  time. 

Illustration    No.  3. 

Numbers  1  and  2  are  paper  towels  showing  two  different 
styles  and  holders.  The  use  of  paper  towels  is  a  sanitary  as 


A  Group  of  Kitchen  Utensils. 

well  as  a  labor  saving  device.  Their  use  in  large  stores,  schools, 
public  and  office  buildings  is  almost  general,  in  all  the  large 
cities,  at  least.  They  were  introduced  rather  for  sanitary  than 


LABOR   SAVING   DEVICES   FOR   THE   FARM    HOME.  71 

economical  reasons ;  but  it  has  been  found  that  the  latter  rea- 
son is  by  no.  means  to  be  overlooked. 

Their  use  in  th.e  home  especially  the  kitchen  is  not  gen- 
eral, though  occasionally  women  are  found  who  have  used 
them  not  only  for  drying  the  skin  but  for  wiping  dishes  after 
scalding  and  draining.  They  would  be  found  very  useful  and 
economical  in  some  families  and  not  in  others.  The  wise  wo- 
man will  give  them  a  fair  trial  and  find  out  for  herself. 

In  using  the  paper  towels  don't  rub  them  over  the  surface 
like  a  fabric  towel ;  they  are  used  rather  as  a  blotter  and  are 
most  satisfactory,  since  each  person  has  a  fresh  towel.* 

In  farm  hom.es  where  there  are  hired  hands  as  well  as  a 
large  family,  and  mother  has  to  do  all  the  work  including  the 
weekly  washing,  the  paper  towel  should  be  adopted  without 
question.  In  too  many  homes  th.e  hands  are  half  washed  in 
the  basin  and  the  rest  of  the  dirt  taken  off  and  left  on  the  rol- 
ler towel,  which  soon  becomes  unsanitary  and  unsightly  to  say 
rothing  of  the  back  breaking  process  of  washing  and  ironing 
the  towels. 

No..  3  is  an  aluminum  teakettle,  which  has  been  in  con- 
stant use  for  ten  years.  It  is  light  to  handle  and  is  excellent 
in  shape.  Beware  of  a  kettle  in  which  the  spout  comes  from 
the  bottom  of  the  kettle ;  the  water  will  run  o-ver  the  top  be- 
fore it  comes  out  of  the  spout. 

Numbers  4  and  5  are  different  shaped  steam  cookers.* 
No.  4  is  made  of  aluminum  and  is  useful  for  steaming  roasts 
or  fowl ;  it  also  has  an  arrangement  for  holding  one  dozen  cups 
of  custard  or  eggs  to  be  poached.  Its  shape  permits  its  use 


*Since  the  name  of  a  Utah  dealer  carrying  these  paper  towels  is  not 
known  to  me,  the  address  of  the  Eastern  manufacturers  is  given.  No.  1  is 
the  Scott  Tissue  towel  manufactured  by  the  Scott  Paper  (Jo.,  Seventh  and 
Glen  wood  Ave.,  Philadelphia,  Pa.  This  firm  manufactures  other  paper  spec- 
ialties, including  toilet  paper,  Sani-komb  (a  paper  comb  for  once  using  only), 
sanitary  drinkng  cups,  and  wash  cloths.  Their  towels  cost  as  follows:  5  rolls 
and  fixture,  $2.00;  6  rolls  (without  fixture),  $2.00—150  extra  heavy  white  ab- 
sorbent towels  to  the  roll.  An  extra  charge  is  added  for  shipping  west  of 
the  Mississippi  River. 

No.  2  manufactured  by  Geo.  W.  Millar  Co.,  62  and  64  Dwane  St.,  New 
York.  They  make  a  crepe  and  a  plain  towel.  Their  cheapest  towel— Mayville 
cream  paper  towel — cost  25  cents  per  package  in  bundles  of  twenty  packages; 
in  bundles  of  five  packages,  35  cents  per  package.  These  come  punched  for 
the  metal  holder;  they  are  cheaper  if  hung  on  wire  loop  or  if  unpunched  at 
all.  There  are  480  towels  to  the  package  and  they  measure  12x18  inches. 

*No.  4  is  manufactured  by  the  Aluminum  Cooking  Utensil  Co.  of  New 
Kensington,  Pa.,  No.  5,  by  the  Toledo  Cooker  Co.,  of  Toledo,  Ohio.  The 
manufacturer  will  give  the  name  of  the  nearest  local  dealer. 


72  LABOR   SAVING  DEVICES   FOR   THE   FARM    HOME. 

on  top  of  the  stove  or  in  the  oven. '  No.  5  is  most  useful  for 
steaming  fruit;  it  will  hold  eighteen  quart  bottles  at  once.  It 
is  also  useful  for  meat  or  vegetables  or  puddings,  and  occu- 
pies but  the  space  of  one  kettle.  It  is  particularly  recommend- 
ed for  use  with  a  coal  oil  stove  sinc.e  three  or  four  things  may 
be  cooked  at  once. 

Numbers  6  and  7  are  different  sizes  of  paper  bags**  for 
cooking  in  the  oven  without  the  us.e  of  baking  utensils.  They 
come  in  three  sizes ;  the  smallest  is  the  size  for  baking  one  large 
or  two  medium  sized  apples ;  and  the  largest  will  take  a  good 
size  roast.  They  are  placed  on  a  rack  in  the  oven  and  have 
the  advantage  of  keeping  in  all  the  juice  and  aroma.  After  the 
article  is  co-oked  the  bag  can  be  burned.  Great  care  must  be 
used,  however,  or  the  bag  will  break  and  then  there  is  more 
trouble  than  washing  a  baking  dish.  They  are  still  more  or 
less  in  the  experimental  stage. 

No.  8  is  an  ordinary  spring  balance  and  is  often  needed 
by  every  housekeeper.-  It  should  be  considered  as  necessary  as 
are  knives  or  spoons  and  one  similar  should  be  a  part  of  every 
kitchen  equipment. 

No.  9  is  a  brown  earthenware  baking  dish  or  casserole. 
It  is  made  so  that  it  can  withstand  the  heat  of  the  oven;  and 
looks  so  well  that  it  can  be  placed  on  the  table  (on  a  mat), 
and  the  baked  food  served  from  it  directly— thus  saving  the 
use  of  another  covered  dish.  They  come  in  different  shapes 
and  sizes  and  are  most  useful. 

Numbers  10  and  11  are  so-called  dustless  dusters,*  and 
their  name  indicates  their  virtue  and  use.  Most  dusters  are 
merely  displacers  of  dust  and  transfer  it  only  from  one  place 
to  another.  These  dusters  are  treated  by  chemicals  in  such  a 
way  that  they  actually  absorb  and  hold  the  dust.  It  cannot 
be  shaken  loose.  When  they  are  saturated  with  dust,  soap  and 
water  will  remove  it  all  and  the  dusters  are  as  good  as  new 


**The  paper  bags  shown,  are  manufactured  by  the  Union  Bag  and  Paper 
Co.,  17  Battery  Place,  New  York,  N.  Y.  These  are  carried  by  the  Lafount 
Hardware  Co.  of  Logan,  Utah. 

""There  are  different  kinds  on  the  market  at  present.  The  ones  shown 
are  from  the  Howard  Dustless-Duster  Co.,  164  Federal  St.,  Boston,  Mass. 
Send  to  manufacturer  and  ask  for  nearest  local  agent.  Similar  ones  to  those 
in  the  illustration  are  carried  by  the  Howell-Cardon  Co.,  of  Logan,  Utah; 
also  by  Lafount  Hardware  Co.  of  Logan,  Utah. 


LABOR   SAVING   DEVICES    FOR   THE   FARM    HOME. 


73 


again — until  worn  out.  There  are  different  shapes  and  sizes 
and  also  a  dustless  mop.  It  seems  a  great  deal  to  pay  for  a 
dust  cloth,  but  when  the  work  they  do  is  considered  the  price 
is  not  so  high.  They  are  very  satisfactory. 

A  Vegetable  Table.  Your  attention  is  directed  to  the  ta- 
ble on  which  the  utensils  are  placed  in  illustration  No..  3.  It 
is  an  ordinary  kitchen  table  (cost  about  $2.75  when  new)  and 
the  two  bins  were  made  in  about  three  hours  time  out  of  ma- 
terials found  at  home.  The  sides  are  wood,  perforated  to  al- 
low a  free  passage  of  air ;  the  bottom  is  made  of  tin,  painted. 


A  "handy"  porch  cupboard  for  holding  floor  and  dust  cloths  and 
all  damp  cleaning  utensils.  The  floor  is  perforated  so  there  is  con- 
stant circulation  of  air  with  a  consequent  absence  of  all  "musty" 
odors. 

The  little  box  containing  shoe  polish  necessities  is  for  the  men 
of  the  house  and  while  simple  in  construction  is  decidedly  labor 
saving. 

One  is  for  potatoes  and  the  other  for  roots  and  other  vegeta- 
bles. They  will  hold  a  week's  supply  for  an  ordinary  family. 
A  small  boy  can  clean  and  fill  the  bins  as  a  Saturday  chore, 
and  thus  the  daily  trip  to  the  cellar  be  avoided.  It  is  found 
to  be  a  very  successful  and  cheap  labor  saving  device. 

Porch  Cupboard.  Notice  the  useful  porch  cupboard  shown 


74  LABOR   SAVING  DEVICES   FOR   THE   FARM    HOME. 

in  illustration  No.  4.  Also-  the  shoe  polish  box  for  men.  These 
articles  are  almost  self-explanatory  and  while  very  useful  and 
satisfactory  are  not  expensive.  A  man  or  handy  boy  could 
easily  build  them  in  spare  hours. 

Coal  Box.  Illustration  No.  10  shows  an  adaptation  to  coal 
of  the  old  wood-box  idea.  It  is  made  to  hold  three  scuttles  of 
coal  with  provision  underneath  for  "kindling."  In  most  fam- 
ilies is  a  man  or  boy  who  would  fill  the  box  as  a  morning 
chore,  thus  saving  much  labor  to  the  woman.  This  box  is 


A  home-made  coal  box  with  provision  underneath  -or  "kindling." 
It  should  be  made  large  enough  to  hold  a  day's  supply  of  fuel.  One 
in  use  at  the  present  time  is  18-in.  x  24-in.  x  23-in.  high  and  will  hold 
three  scuttles  of  coal. 

placed  at  the  side  of  the  stove  and  while  it  is  not  at  all  in  the 
way  it  affords  an  excellent  seat  while  stirring  gravies  or  sauces 
or  other  food  that  needs  watching  on  the  stove.  It  has  been 
used  for  over  a  year  with  much  satisfaction.  ' 

EXTRAVAGANCE  NOT  NECESSARY. 

In  order  to  have  any  and  all  of  these  appliances  in  the 
home,  it  is  not  necessary  to  be  extravagant,  or  to  get  them  all 
at  once.  If,  as  some  Political  Economist  tell  us,  a  woman  is 


LABOR   SAVING  DEVICES   FOR   THE   FARM    HOME.  75 

entitled  to  spend  one-third  of  the  yearly  income,  she  should 
spend  it  wisely,  and  get  first  those  things  which  mean  most 
to  her.    Cement  walk  should  be  more  important  than  the  costly 
front  porch,  which  is  seldom  used  except  on  a  pleasant  Sunday 
afternoon.  A  vacuum  cleaner  is  much  more  necessary  than  the 
velvet  "parlor  set"    or    showy    mahogany    mantle.    A    well 
equipped,  handy  kitchen  ought  to  be  much  more  desirable  to 
every  housewife  than  a  well  furnished  parlor.    Both  are  desir- 
able, but  if  something  must  be  sacrificed,  let  the  things  for 
show  come  last. 

EACH  WOMAN  TO  PLAN  HER  HOME. 

Here  it  may  be  well  to  say  that  every  woman  should  draw 
the  original  plan  of  her  home,  for  she  is  the  one  to  work  in  it 
and  ought  to  understand  it  better  than  any  one,  especially  a 
man  who  has  never  done  house-work.  Every  girl  should  be- 
gin early  to  sketch  her  ideal  home,  and  change  it  as  her  under- 
standing enlarges.  Then  when  the  time  comes  to  build,  she 
knows  what  she  wants.  No  woman  would  plan  to  have  one  or 
more  stair-steps  between  kitchen  and  dining  room,  for  every 
time  jshe  steps  up  she  actually  lifts  the  weight  of  her  own 
body.  She  should  understand  that  a  cement  cellar  is  as  neces- 
sary as  the  roof,  and  much  more  desirable  than  a  front  porch. 
If  any  porch  at  all  is  provided,  let  it  be  sleeping  or  living 
porch — not  one  for  show  merely.  The  house  should  be  planned 
so  that  as  few  steps  as  possible  be  taken  in  the  accomplish- 
ment of  all  daily  tasks,  and  this  needs  careful  thought  and 
study.  If  the  house  is  to  be  more  than  two  stories  high,  a 
clothes  chute  for  soiled  clo.thes  should  be  planned  and  built  in. 
Jf  food  must  be  sent  to  the  cellar  to  be  kept  cool,  a  dumb  wait- 
er should  be  provided.  Built-in  furniture  is  much  mere  prefer- 
able than  store  furniture,  because  of  the  ease  with  which  it 
may  be  kept  clean,  and  it  is  no  more  expensive. 

CO-OPERATIVE  OWNERSHIP. 

A  word  ought  to  be  said  to  the  farmer's  wives,  particu- 
larly those  who,  live  in  villages,  about  the  advisability  of  co- 
operative ownership  of  expensive  labor  saving  devices.  If 
each  man  who  could  not  afford  to  own  a  threshing  machine 


76  LABOR   SAVING^  DEVICES   FOR   THE   FARM   HOME. 

raised  only  as  much  grain  as  he  could  thresh  by  hand,  how  fast 
could  he  get  ahead?  It  is  just  as  feasible  for  a  half  dozen  wo- 
men to  own  a  large  vacuum  cleaner,  and  take  turn  in  the  use 
of  it,  as  for  the  same  number  of  men  to  own  a  threshing  ma- 
chine. 

In  the  same  way  a  laundry  could  be  equipped  and  used  by 
different  families  on  different  days. 

Also  a  brick  oven  could  be  built  and  some  one  be  employ- 
ed to  bake  the  bread  for  all  the  families  interested.  It  could 
be  done  much  cheaper,  and  with  what  a  saving  of  labor.  If 
women  could  only  be  permitted  to  handle  a  little  of  the  income 
of  the  farm,  and  wake  up  to  their  opportunities,  they  could 
make  life  much  happier  for  themselves  and  their  loved  ones. 

THE   SMOOT    BILL. 

In  conclusion  I  desire  to  call  your  attention  to  a  bill  pre- 
sented at  the  last  session  of  Congress  by  Senator  Reed  Smoot. 
This  bill  is  "To  Provide  for  an  Increased  Annual  Appropria- 
tion for  Agricultural  Experiment  Stations,  to  be  used  in  Re- 
searches in  Home  Economics  and  Regulating  the  Expenditure 
thereof."  This  bill  was  read  twice  and  referred  to  the  Com- 
mittee on  Agriculture  and  Forestry,  and  there  it  slumbers. 

If  all  the  progressive  women  of  the  Nation  would  rouse 
themselves,  work  through  their  senators  and  congressmen  and 
wake  that  bill  up,  it  could  become  a  reality.  It  is  no  more  than 
right  that  our  Government  should  provide  means  to  experi- 
ment for  the  betterment  of  home  conditions  and  a  better  race 
of  men,  as  well  as  for  the  better  hogs  and  chickens  and  fine 
sanitary  barns.  The  Smoot  Bill  provides,  among  other  things, 
that  ten  thousand  dollars  shall  be  annually  appropriated  "To 
pay  the  necessary  expenses  of  conducting  original  or  confir- 
matory researches  or  experiments  bearing  directly  on  home  eco- 
nomics, including  both  Domestic  Science  and  Domestic  Art, 
and  printing  and  disseminating  the  results  of  said  experi- 
ments, having  due  regard  to  the  varying  conditions  and  needs 
of  the  restrictive  States  and  Territories." 

When  this  bill  becomes  law,  we  will  have  our  perfected 
dishwasher. 


THIS  BOOK  IS  DUE  ON  THE  LAST  DATE 
STAMPED  BELOW 


NOV  16 


Iflf 
W 


5Jun'56NW 
MAY  2  2  195 


30m-l,'15 


305326 

,        •»£, 

J^>  " 


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